New strategy to put Sweden as front runner in battery value chain

The battery regulations proposed by the European Commission on 10 December highlights the need for minimising both the social and the carbon footprint of the battery industry. Fossil Free Sweden has submitted a new national strategy on batteries to the Swedish Government showing how Sweden can take a leading position in the development of the sustainable battery value chain. The national strategy was developed in cooperation with EIT InnoEnergy and is supported by companies across the value chain as well as universities and environmental organisations.

Last week a proposal of the new battery regulation was adopted by the European Commission. The proposal is ambitious – it aims at minimising both the carbon footprint and the social footprint of the batteries. This is accelerated by the European Battery Alliance, launched by EU Commissioner Maroš Šefčovic in 2017, with the aim of building a sustainable battery value chain in Europe. The Swedish strategy for a sustainable battery value chain shows how actions in Sweden will contribute to the European battery industry development.

The development of sustainable battery production is not only important for achieving climate goals, but also enables the emergence of a competitive industry that creates growth and jobs throughout the battery value chain.

Svante Axelsson, national coordinator for Fossil Free Sweden, says ”The big demand for electrification in the transport sector and industry processes have made battery manufacturing a bottle-neck. Sustainably produced batteries can become the next big Swedish industry expansion.”

In Bloomberg NEF´s ‘Global Lithium-Ion Battery Supply Chain Ranking’ Sweden is projected to climb from number 10 to number 4 by 2025, only lagging behind China, Japan and the U.S.

Sweden has a strong position, with access to raw materials, cheap and fossil-free electricity, expertise and policy instruments that promote continued electrification with high environmental requirements. In addition, Sweden has strong actors along the entire value chain, from recycling and mining to the manufacture of active materials, complete battery cells and battery packs, to applications in the automotive industry as well as in the power system.

The national strategy for a sustainable battery value chain is developed by the government initiative Fossil Free Sweden in cooperation with EIT InnoEnergy who also developed the foundation of the European Battery Strategy for the European Commission.

The strategy is supported by actors from the entire value chain from the Swedish mining industry to the battery-cell producer Northvolt, vehicle manufacturers like Volvo Cars, Volvo Group and Scania and electricity distributor Vattenfall as well as universities and environmental organisations.

The strategy makes a list of demands for national policy within five areas:

1. Sustainable batteries for a fossil-free energy and transport system: Stimulate demand for and use of sustainable batteries.
2. Sustainable battery production, a new industry for Sweden: Create conditions for the development of a sustainable battery value chain in Sweden.
3. Recovery and extraction of materials for a sustainable and circular battery industry: Create conditions to enable the mining industry and the recycling industry to contribute sustainably produced raw materials
4. Skills development for a charged future: Invest in research, innovation and education for skills development.
5. Collaboration and dialogue for growth and export: Implement and follow up the action proposals through broad collaboration throughout the battery value chain

Kenneth Johansson, CEO EIT InnoEnergy Scandinavia, comments ”Sweden is already today an integral part of the European battery ecosystem, but there is room for development in many parts of the value chain and here the strategy can be an important tool. We are impressed by the commitment of everyone involved and look forward how the example of this strategy work can be used as a role model for other European countries to follow.”